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<\/a><\/p>\nIn the Introduction, Author Smith shares several points of views from other secular age authors. For example, Author Julian Barnes, of the book \u201cNothing to be Frighten of\u201d, <\/em>has a few quotes: \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t believe in God, but I miss him\u201d (5) making reference to his missing the stained glass artwork. Barnes appreciates religious art and found \u201cmissing God is missing the underlying purpose and belief when confronted with religious art.\u201d (8) \u00a0I loved sitting in the park observing nature which is m reminder of God\u2019s creation. We have in our cities removed so much of God\u2019s creation to build our own creation. This has affected the earth, seasons, and the latest weather phenomenon. \u00a0Another quote, \u201cIf I called myself an atheist in my twenties, and an agnostic in my fifties and sixties, it is not because I\u2019ve acquired more knowledge in the meantime, just more awareness of my ignorance\u201d (8). This statement was inspiring to me that it was not what we know all but at times we realize our weaknesses. Smith also shared a comment by author Luhrmann stating, \u201cIf you could believe in God, why wouldn\u2019t you\u201d and the other \u201cBelieving in God should be more difficult.\u201d (6) \u00a0I will be reading this book later in my studies and I hope to understand her statements. Once you have experienced challenges that you could not resolve but the problems were resolved without help from friends and family, and you know the visual evidence, you realize that there is a higher being than ourselves. I choose to believe the name is God.<\/p>\n Smith wanted to share his view on Taylor\u2019s book on Secular Age, to assist readers to understand Taylor\u2019s views. Evidence of a secular age reveals people are more interested in “living for goals that are immanent lives and not honor God\u2019s transcendence.” (44)\u00a0 In this secular age, we have moved from why we believe to what is believable. This act is not of faith but what one can prove. \u00a0Smith states that Taylor’s book is more like a \u201c3D map, time lapse, existential of our present.\u201d (18) \u00a0Smith wanted to break down what Taylor was saying so that a reader can understand. Taylor believes people are “leaning more to ‘exclusive humanism’, the believing life can have meaning and significance without God\u2019s transcendence and rather than believing in God. We are of a secular age because our belief system is no longer axiomatic.”\u00a0\u00a0[1]<\/sup><\/a> Explaining exclusive humanism was the replacement of human desires for religious beliefs. We witness this in our government laws. It appears that the Christian right wing is trying to make American pure Christianity through worldly laws. This was truly not Jesus\u2019s method. Believing and following Jesus is a personal decision, not a government one. Smith shares the views on the religious path to exclusive humanism that people are looking to replace transcendence with something that they can visualize. We are knowledgeable and can figure life out without interaction with a religious belief. Smith points out that \u201cGod is reduced to a Creator and religion is reduced to morality.\u201d (51)<\/p>\n We must be aware of our own moments of self-sense of accomplishment and ignore the power of the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 These moments have destroyed many ministries. God is a jealous God and He demands to be first in our lives. Substitutions are not acceptable.<\/p>\n This book was similar to writing a one-page essay about the Iraq War. It\u2019s too much information press down into Cliff Notes.<\/p>\n